Devices for road widening and creating shoulders are known in the road construction industry. Many of the devices are designed for use only on either the right side of the road or the left side of a road. Oftentimes different machines must be kept on the construction site for road construction on the left and right sides of the road or the machine must be driven in a different direction. This not only increases construction costs by necessitating multiple machines, but also increases construction time as well.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,540,687, the entire contents of which are expressly incorporated for reference, discloses the use of hydraulics for movement of aggregate-spreading systems. The hoses in these hydraulic systems may be prone to leaks and failure over time which requires maintenance and cleaning of the machine. Additionally, hydraulics can be difficult to control when precise, fine adjustments are necessary. Hydraulic fluid, hoses, and pistons also add considerable weight to the existing devices.
Another feature of known devices is that they are self-propelled. Many of the devices include large engines with transmissions for moving the device. This adds considerable costs as well as weight to the device.
What is therefore needed in the road construction industry is a low-cost device that may be either pushed by another vehicle such as a skid steer or attached to a rear end of an aggregate storage vehicle such as a dump truck, thus eliminating the need for an engine and drivetrain. Also needed is a device that eliminates hydraulics and utilizes electronic actuators and electronic motors for operation of the device. Another feature needed is a device that is constructed in a lightweight design, allowing for easier mobility, repairs, and maintenance.